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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26208469">My God Is Realer Than Yours! (She Says What I Do Is Right)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Godspeed_Cowboy/pseuds/Godspeed_Cowboy'>Godspeed_Cowboy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Branding, Burns, Celebrations, Cultural Differences, Cultures, Embracing One's Heritage/Traditions/Cultural Beliefs, Family, Fire, Gen, Haruno Sakura-centric, Hypocrisy, Nudity, POV Haruno Sakura, Partial Nudity, Practices, Pride, Religious Imagery &amp; Symbolism, Traditions, allegories for racism and/or cultural disrespect, demonization of practices, double standards, ignorance, proud</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:21:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,978</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26208469</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Godspeed_Cowboy/pseuds/Godspeed_Cowboy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sakura is proud to participate in her family's century long traditions, and not even the words of her Village can stop her or put her to shame. It is her right of passage, after all, her decision.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Haruno Sakura &amp; Haruno Family</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>164</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>My God Is Realer Than Yours! (She Says What I Do Is Right)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I did so much world-building for this it isn't even funny! This is really just the tip of the iceberg. Feel free to ask me about anything about it! I listened to Lil Darkie's Colossal Conflict! It's like 4 song genres in one song and it's great.</p><p>Twitter: @YeehawMitski</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>	The ceremony is tonight, and Sakura is excited.</p><p>	Mother is behind her, brushing her hair, and talking about how proud she is of her daughter.</p><p>	The Haruno had shown up at their door, telling them with flourish that it was their child’s turn. News from the seer. And her parents had delivered the news to her, elated. </p><p>	It was Sakura’s turn to finally be indoctrinated into the Haruno fully. </p><p>	This was about a week ago, and Sakura smiles at the memory.</p><p>	“I’m so proud of you, Sakura-chan,” her mother says, running her finger through her hair.</p><p>	Sakura is excited to finally partake in her family’s tradition.</p><p>	-------------------------------------</p><p>The same day the news is delivered, word spreads like wildfire. A new Haruno child being brought into the family <em>fully </em>was always <em>big </em>news. </p><p>But not for a good reason.</p><p>Sakura knows that the village does not take too kindly to the Harunos and their practices. They are seen as savage, cruel, inhumane, as<em> demons</em> and <em>monsters</em>. Sakura thinks they’re hypocrites. The clans of Konoha have their own terrifying traditions. The Aburame throw their children into pits of bugs, and should the bugs not take to the child, then the child is eaten by them. The Inuzuka hold human hunts once a year, drawing cards, and those with the prey cards are hunted, and all to keep their population in check. The Hyuuga have their caged bird tattoos, enslaving their own kind in the name of balance. The Uchiha ate the eyes of crows dried in their sacred flames, a part of their Festival of Amaterasu, and the act symbolized them becoming one with their god. </p><p>And there’s <em>plenty</em> more she could talk about.</p><p>So Sakura’s traditions are no different, she thinks, especially when Konoha’s are written just as bloody. </p><p>And the first person that tries to sway her from the decision is, surprisingly, Ino.</p><p>It happens when the blonde takes her on a surprise outing, treating her to a day of shopping and food, and she even brings Sakura home, where her parents cook for them.</p><p>Sakura, even though she finds these gestures very lovely, is suspicious. </p><p>She is proven right to be suspicious when Ino starts to sway the conversation during Dinner.</p><p>“Isn’t this so much better, Sakura?”</p><p>Sakura puts down her fork, “What do you mean?”</p><p>Inoichi speaks up, “Well, you know, the <em>Haruno’s</em> don’t, <em>can’t</em>, do or afford these things. Had a dish once from them, something from their “Home Lands” or whatever, I nearly threw up! Who cooks snakes?”</p><p>Inoichi has the audacity to laugh, and so does his family. The dish he was talking about must’ve been the curry, the one with snake meat and spicy oil based sauce. That was one of her favorites.</p><p>“. . . But I’m a Haruno,” she says.</p><p>Ino’s mother waves a hand at her, “Oh no, dear, you’re not like them! Look at you! You’re much more modern, kinder!”</p><p>Sakura sighs.</p><p>Ino speaks again, “I mean, come on, who wants to do those <em>silly things</em> anyway? Crazy talk, even for me! Besides, you belong here, with me, with us!”</p><p>“I think,” Sakura says, as she gets up out of her chair, “I’m full. Thank you for the meal.”</p><p>As she walks away from her spluttering family, she turns to deliver the final blow.</p><p>“My ceremony is a week from today. You are welcome to come to it, my family has no problem allowing others to observe <em>our </em>traditions.”</p><p>She walks out the door leaving a trio of frustrated Yamanaka.</p><p>-------------------------------------</p><p>They walk out the front door, and two Haruno’s wait for them. One has white hair and sky blue eyes and the other has purple hair and yellow eyes. They’re smiling at her.</p><p>She greets them the Haruno way. </p><p>Fingers touching tips, she makes a circle and holds it above her head, smiling right back at them. They return the greeting, mimicking her actions. </p><p>“Hello, cousins!” she says.</p><p>“Hey, cousin!”</p><p>“Hi, cousin!”</p><p>They are not actually cousins, but it is custom to refer to them as such.</p><p>Her parents laugh at how she practically vibrates with joy.</p><p>“Come, come!” says the white haired one.</p><p>“The wagon awaits!” says the purple haired one.</p><p>They take her by the hands, pulling her along. Sure enough, close by, a simple wagon pulled by horses. It’s like the ones used to haul hey around. Sakura climbs up onto the back and settles against one of the walls. The rest of the Harunos follow her. </p><p>The people of Konoha watch as they drive through the streets, whispering. They can do nothing to stop the wagon, even if they wanted to. </p><p>They pass through the gates, leaving the village at last, and they begin the journey to the ceremony’s destination.</p><p>-------------------------------------</p><p>The second time someone tries to stop her, it’s Sasuke, and he ends up roping Naruto into it as well. </p><p>“You can’t” he says, appearing next to her with her other teammate out of the blue as she’s out for a walk.</p><p>“Can’t what?” she asks, even if she already knows.</p><p>“You can’t go to that gathering or whatever. The one your clan does.”</p><p>She hums. Of course.</p><p>“Do you mean the ceremony?”</p><p>Sasuke grunts. Typical.</p><p>“Tell me, Sasuke,” she says, “why shouldn’t I?”</p><p>“It’s cruel,” is his first answer, and it’s expected.</p><p>“We are shinobi Sasuke, cruel is nothing new.”</p><p>“It’s odd, <em>outlandish</em>,” he says, one again expected.</p><p>“That’s nothing new either, Sasuke. We live in a world where <em>animals</em> can <em>talk</em> and where the <em>elements</em> can be <em>controlled</em> by <em>human</em> hands. If you want to convince me, you’ll have to try harder than that, try harder than calling it strange or violent.”</p><p>He’s fumbling now, and Naruto finally speaks up.</p><p>“Sakura-chan, you can’t! Sasuke told me <em>everything</em> about the stuff that the rest of your family does! It’s nothing like you!”</p><p>Ah. If Naruto was acting like this, then Sasuke must’ve exaggerated what happens within her family. She is not mad at him, though, because it’s all he knows, all he was taught, and he never thought to learn for himself. But that doesn’t mean she won’t be petty.</p><p>“Say, Naruto,” she begins, “did you know that Sasuke’s family eats eyes? Crow eyes?”</p><p>Both boys' jaws drop. She continues.</p><p>“Did you know that they used to burn people at the stake for three days straight? Did you know that they’d take the eyes of those who had red ones because they thought they were stolen from their god? Did you know that they believed in prophecies and acted on them? Did you know that they made their clothes from the fur of felines by ripping it off or skinning them for it because they believed it would protect them from the canine spirits that supposedly haunted their homes in search for Uchiha to eat?”</p><p>“And how about the Uzumaki? Did you know that they used to throw people into the sea as sacrifice to keep their island safe for the next year? Did you know that they believed their hair to be dyed with blood from their past lives, and as such would often use it in their hair products? Did you know that they believed their sealing knowledge came from the trees that grew from their solid and as such would often eat the branches and it was considered a delicacy?”</p><p>Sakura leaves them behind as they try to gather their thoughts at what she told them. </p><p>She had learnt at an early age <em>why</em> the people did not like her family, so in return she’d learn of their traditions and beliefs, dig up the dirt on them like they so rudley did with hers.</p><p>Sasuke finally speaks, “If you go through with it, then you won’t be able to marry me!”</p><p>He’s grasping at straws that aren’t <em>there</em> anymore.</p><p>She turns to him, “And why’s that?”</p><p>“Because the Uchiha do not like full blooded Harunos. if you look like them, then everything will be pointless!”</p><p>Sakura is getting fed up.</p><p>“Sasuke,” she sighs, “My family is more important to me than romance. I will <em>always</em> be a full blooded Haruno, no matter my appearance. Even if I didn’t go to the ceremony, I’d still have my life running through my veins, my past and upbringing would still be beneath my skin and in my head, and my family would still exist and care for me as they always have. No matter how I or you or <em>any</em> of us go about it, I will always be a Haruno, in the eyes of my family . . . “</p><p> ‘. . . and in the eyes of Our Lady. The ceremony will happen in a few days, and you’re welcome to join, we’re always excited to share our culture with those who wish to learn.”</p><p>She walks away, and they don’t chase after her again.</p><p>-------------------------------------</p><p>The wagon stops before a clearing, filled with colorful people. Wild hair and eye colors mixed with all sorts of skin tones and bodies, all working together to prepare for the ceremony. They step out of the wagon. </p><p>An older woman with an afro of light blue hair and dark orange eyes wait for them. She’s short and plump, skin a dark shade of brown. On her arms and legs, beads. And on her skin, burn marks, like the rest of the people around them. She is shirtless like the rest of the Harunos, and she has a thick necklace around her throat, gold painted swirls above the waist, the design standing for intelligence and generosity. She opens her arms for Sakura. </p><p>The Head of the Harunos.</p><p>“Sakura!” she says as she scoops the girl into her arms, “It’s so good to finally meet you! I’ve heard much about you!”</p><p>Sakura returns the hug, and when they pull away they still hold arms.</p><p>“Hello, Grandmother,” she says.</p><p>The woman is not her real grandmother, but it is custom to refer to her as such.</p><p>“This way!” says the older woman, “You need to start getting ready so that by the time you’re done the ceremony can start!”</p><p>Sakura is pulled away from her parents, who immediately set to work helping the rest of her family. She’s taken to a part of the field with paper screens put up, and behind it, people who wait for her. There’s a bath prepared for her, and it smells like citrus.</p><p>It’s meant to clean her, to symbolize the notion of change, of leaving behind an old self, and becoming anew.</p><p>The Head laughs at the speed she takes off her clothes, all in good nature.</p><p>Any Haruno would be just as happy and excited as her if they were in her shoes, and that’s <em>not</em> an exaggeration.</p><p>-------------------------------------</p><p>The third time someone tries to convince her to stop, she's called up to the Hokage’s office for the first time. </p><p>Around the blond woman, all of her graduated classmates and their teachers, hell even Gai’s team is there.</p><p>It’s the first time she’s seen them all together, not since the Chuunin Exams, which weren’t all that long ago.</p><p>The Hokage sighs as the racket picks up as soon as Sakura walks through the door.</p><p>They throw reason after reason after her, even the smartest and the kindest of them. But she supposes that brains and goodwill are just as unimmune as the rest.</p><p>“You have a life! Don’t throw that away!”</p><p>“You’re too beautiful! It will change you!”</p><p>“Your family is here, with us!”</p><p>“They’ll treat you like an animal! You’re more than that, you deserve better!”</p><p>“They don’t need you, they’ve already got so many! What’s one less?”</p><p>“You're too civilized, it won’t work!”</p><p>“You have everything you need already, what more could you want?”</p><p>“It’s optional, you don’t have to go!”</p><p>Sakura sighs and raises her hand. The room falls quiet as they wait for her response.</p><p>She opens her mouth and at first everyone thinks she’ll agree, that they’ve convinced her.</p><p>The first thing that comes out of her mouth is-</p><p>“. . . You’re all <em>idiots</em>.”</p><p>They stumble, begin to talk again, and once more she raises a hand and they stop.</p><p>“You know what?” she says, “I could say a <em>thousand </em>things about everyone in this room, a <em>thousand </em>things about you all's traditions. You say that mine are violent when yours’ are just as bloody. You say they’re weird when yours’ are just as strange. No one in this room is innocent, no one in this room is a saint. You’re all <em>hypocrites</em>.”</p><p>They all flinch at her words and her eyes harden as she continues.</p><p>“This is my choice to make. Not anyone else’s and <em>certainly </em>not any of yours. I am Haruno Sakura. <em>Haruno</em>. And I always will be. It is <em>my</em> choice, it is <em>my</em> ceremony, <em>my heritage</em>, and I <em>want</em> to do this . . . The ceremony is tomorrow, and, as I’ve said <em>so </em>many times before, my family will let you all come to see it. Good day to you all.”</p><p>And with that she leaves, and everyone in the room begins to yell. Tsunade sighs as they berate her for not helping and she simply pulls out a bottle of sake, and starts to chug it because she doesn’t have time for any of this.</p><p>-------------------------------------</p><p>The moon is high in the sky, full and bright, as the drums begin to pound, a steady and slow beat that she feels through the ground. She walks on the stone path, towards the break in the circle in which her family sits. </p><p>There’s a fire burning in the middle, and beside it, a person  covered from head to toe in red, a veil covering their face. Next to them, a table, with different sized branding irons. In front of the fire, a little ways away from it, a red rug.</p><p>When she thinks about it, this tradition is certainly one of the most tame, and that everyone else was overreacting.</p><p>She does not see anyone she invited within the circle, a sea of color but none that she recognizes as her friends.</p><p>All eyes are on her as she steps into the circle, stops on the red rug. The drums stop all at once.</p><p>“Sakura,” the Veiled begins, because outside of Konoha, she has yet to earn her last name, “you have been chosen by Our Lady, Kaguya, to become one with her people at last. Do you accept this fate that she has given you?”</p><p>Her breath quivers when she speaks, and her hand clutches at the thin robe covering her body.</p><p>“I <em>accept</em>,” she breathes.</p><p>The Veiled nods, “Then so be it. Let us begin.”</p><p>They pick up one of the irons as Sakura lets the robe fall, leaving her bare. She watches as they stick it into the fire. It’s one of the small ones and she knows where this one will go. </p><p>When it burns bright red, they remove it, and come to stand in front of her.</p><p>Sakura braces herself for the pain that will come here in just a few short seconds.</p><p>The brand presses into her forehead, singeing the few hairs in the way, and she grits her teeth as she tries not to scream, a strangled sound leaving her throat as tears build in her eyes. </p><p>When the brand pulls away, it takes some skin with it, and it leaves a decent sized, hollow circle upon her head. The Veiled readies the next brand, a bigger one that requires both hands to hold.</p><p>Once ready, they step behind her.</p><p>Pressing into her back, hot pain, the brand taking up most of the space. This one is a little harder to withstance, and the yell almost leaves her throat and she barely catches it, gets it to stop. The tears begin to spill down her face as the brand is pulled away and the Veiled readies another. </p><p>Short, bitten off sobs leave her as another one is pressed into her chest, centered over her sternum. And when it pulls away, it is pressed back into her stomach. That one actually makes a yell leave her, but she doesn’t flinch away. If anything, she <em>pushes</em> into it.</p><p>It pulls away and it makes her gasp for air, panting heavily.</p><p>Then one each on her elbows. Then the back of her palms. Her knees. The top of her feet.</p><p>She’s left shaking, covered in fresh, red marks.</p><p>The Veiled sets the last iron down, “Congratulations, Sakura. You are now a Haruno in the eyes of Our Lady Kaguya. May Moon and Stars be blessed . . .”</p><p>“. . . And may Kaguya watch over you on your journey through life,” she finishes breathly.</p><p>The crowd erupts into cheers around her, praise and clapping and whistling.</p><p>They’re just as proud as she feels and she smiles through her pain. Sakura lifts her arms and turns around, showing off the marks there. The crowd's cheers go wilder. </p><p>Her parents run forward, crushing her in a hug as tears of happiness spill down their cheeks as they kiss the top of her head.</p><p>They give her something new to wear, a blank tan skirt that settles comfortably around her hips and stops just above her knees. It would eventually be filled with designs, telling her life story in the threads. Celebrations begin as they paint over her skin, golden stripes and squares, the design standing for strength and loyalty. They put some sort of balm over her new burns to sooth the pain, and it works wonders.</p><p>She’s dressed like the rest of her clan officially.</p><p>Appearance and name wise, she is a Haruno through and through.</p><p>That night, Sakura celebrates with the rest of her family until the sun rises, until her god is no longer watching over and celebrating with them.</p><p>Sakura has never been more proud to be a Haruno, has never been more proud of her heritage.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So yeah basically Sakura's family worships Kaguya. I've had this idea written and posted before if you've been around with me that long, but recently I took it down for reasons.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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